The Crucible Essay | Essay

American Society: McCarthy Vs. Salem

Summary: Provides a comparison of the American society during McCarthy and the Salem witch-hunt presented by Miller in "The Crucible."

"The Crucible" by Arthur Miller is a play that describes the witchcraft trials in Salem in 1692. The background of this play is the Mc.Carthy "witch-hunt" and the activities of the "house of un-American activities committee (HUAC)." In this essay I will explore the various parallels between "The Crucible and the events of the Mc.Carthy era in the USA.

The first parallel I will explore is the justice system used by the "house of un-American activities committee" and judges Danforth and Hathorne. The similarity between them is that both had little evidence but still trust the fake confession of a bunch of girls, and also the way they condemned innocent people. This two judges were afraid to loose their reputation as same as the HUAC or Mc.Carthy was afraid of not having the American society on their side and to loose all their power. This can...